Important Differences in True Blood Season One and Dead Until Dark

Picking up the first book in Charlaine Harris' hit book series Southern Vampire Series, is like picking up a rich chocolate. You take one bite and you can't put it down. The HBO produced True Blood is based off the Southern Vampire Series of books, and has been a hit with fans, too. The differences between the show and the book can leave a fan of either a bit confused, however.

True Blood has already garnered Sookie Stackhouse actress Anna Paquin a Golden Globe for portraying our Southern telepath with perfection. Season one of True Blood is based off of book one of the series, Dead Until Dark. While much of season one remains true to the book, people who are just now reading the books may find Bon Temps a bit changed.

Sookie is portrayed accurately in True Blood , much of her personality coincides with Dead Until Dark. However, the season finale doesn't coincide with Dead Until Dark at all. One important thing to point out is that Bill Compton , nor any man, has risked their life for Sookie in Dead Until Dark. We see in the season finale of True Blood that Bill risks his life and melts his face, in an effort to save Sookie. The thing with our group of vampires is that they put themselves, and their race first. The directors of True Blood portrayed Bill as a vampire who would put himself second, and Sookie first. I hold a great reservation with this change , because much of the next six books of the Southern Vampire Series is about this very issue. Why does Sookie continue to risk her life for these Vampiric men , when they obviously will not risk their lives for her? They spend six books exploring the vampire's love for this woman and how its so unheard of to put a human before themselves, and how it affects everything that they do.

Throughout Dead Until Dark Sookie is a woman who has no choice but to defend and take care of herself. She is the hero to those that should be her heroes. True Blood gave Bill Compton, her fanged boyfriend, way more credit than he was due in her protection. This change may have been based on the need for female fans of the show to connect and form a relationship with his character.

Sookie has no family but for her brother Jason. Much of Jason's character is completely accurate, until you get to the part about his being released from jail by the Temple of the Sun and attending that church. In the book he is far too involved with other things going on in his life, and he never has any interaction with members of the Sun.

Because our heroine has no family , and her brother is quite preoccupied with women, working and finding ways to weasel out of jail, she finds herself battling Bon Temp's murderer by herself . True Blood depicted Sookie battling Renee with some help of Bill and Sam. In Dead Until Dark , Sookie faces her murder alone, much as she does every other thing in her life, and comes out pretty battered. Dead Until Dark actually ends with Eric Northman checking on Sookie while she is hospitalized. The book makes it clear that Sookie was beaten and nearly killed, not just laid up on the couch resting. Arlene's tearful reunion is accurate , but the reunion with Bill is not. Sookie is more intrigued that Eric Northman of all people, sends her flowers and is floating out side of her room to check on her at the hospital. Eric is no where to be seen at the end of True Blood's season finale.

Living Dead in Dallas is book two of the Southern Vampire Series and is what season two of True Blood will be based off. Already with the finale of season one, we know that here strategic differences. In Living Dead in Dallas it isn't until the very end that we learn the bulk about the Temple of the Sun. Not only that, Jason never has anything to do with the organization as he stays clear of any vamps in the series of books. He isn't fond of them , but holds no hatred for them. Most of what he feels is fueled by fear and not understanding how they work. Jason will have a different role in season two of True Blood than he did in the book, and I believe this could be a game changer for the series all together. HBO bought the rights to base the show off of the series, however, they never said they were going to stick to the books. It is obvious that by the end of the season one, they knew the road they were taking would be creative diversion from the books.

I highly recommend reading Dead Until Dark while we wait for the summer release of season two for True Blood. While they are becoming horses of different colors, both are so unique in their own right that you can enjoy them separately. Don't let the differences between the two media's prevent you from enjoying the other, because with these changes we might be able to have our cake and eat it too!